ASPINWALL of ASPINWALL (ORMSKIRK) and TOXTETH PARK

Dugdale’s visitation of Lancashire in 1665 includes a pedigree of the Latham family of Whiston, with whom we have been concerned. This pedigree shows that John Latham of Whiston (1606– 1672) was married (by 1636) to ‘Susanna, daughter of Edward Aspenhall of Aspenhall, Lancashire’.1

Susanna was baptised at Childwall in 1604, a daughter of Edward Aspin(w)all of Toxteth Park and formerly of Aspinwall.2 Edward was to be a prominent non-conformist and a co-founder of Toxteth Independent Chapel, who belonged to a family with its origins at Aspinwall, a small south-west Lancashire settlement in Hurlestone, Scarisbrick (Ormskirk parish), on its boundary with Halsall and Aughton.

ORIGINS

Aspinwall (literally ‘the aspen/poplar well’) is a locative name deriving from Aspinwall and it seems likely that all Aspinwall families originate from here.3 The settlement belonged from an early period to the church at Ormskirk.4

The Aspinwall family occur at Aspinwall from at least 1246, when Henry de Aspenewell appears in the Lancashire assize roll. Adam de Aspenewell was fl. 1260–1280 and 1292.5

The family arms are described as: ‘Per pale Gules and Azure, two bars dancetté Erminois’.6 Elsewhere two coats are cited: ‛Or a chev. Between two griffin heads erased sa. Crest a demi- griffin erased sa. Beaked, legged and collared or’ and ‛Ar an aspen leaf or.’7

The inquisition post mortem of George Aspinwall in 15598 deduced a complete descent from the fourteenth century. George was succeeded in the Aspinwall estates by his brother James and from this time there are many further proofs of descent from James to his great-grandaughter Susanna Lathom. The i.p.m. records seven generations, beginning with:

Hugh of Aspinwall.

Thomas of Aspinwall (fl. 1364, 1375 and 1398), a son of Hugh.

Hugh Aspinwall de Aspinwall (fl. 1414, 1429 and 1465), a son of Thomas. Hugh occurs as a yeoman in 1465, together with William Aspinwall de Aspinwall and Aughton.9

Evan of Aspinwall succeeded his father Hugh.

Hugh Aspinwall (fl. 1468 and 1490) succeeded his father Evan. On 10 November 1502 ‘Hugh Aspynwall, gent.’ bought all the properties of Morecroft in Scarisbrick.10 This was perhaps the Hugh Aspinwall of Ormskirk parish, who occurs in the subsidy of 1523/411 and paid £4 2s in that of 1525.

James Aspinwall was a son of Hugh. ‘James Aspinwall, gent.’ (together with ‘William Asmolle de Scarisbrick, gen.’) occurs as a juror in the palatinate court in 1548/9.12

William Aspinwall13 succeeded his father James.

George Aspinwall (the next heir, according to Aspinall’s i.p.m. analysis) was the eldest son of William Aspinwall.14 George died in 1559 and was succeeded by his brother James Aspinwall (died 1591).15

William Aspinwall was James’ eldest son and duly succeeded his father.

Edward Aspinwall was William’s eldest son and father of Susanna Latham.

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JAMES AND KATHARINE ASPINWALL James Aspinwall16 married his wife Katharine by c. 1543: the earliest surviving Ormskirk register does not begin until November 1557 and the marriage is not recorded in the Aughton register (commencing May 1541).17

[The best hope of discovering more about Katharine’s antecedents may lie in the reference in her will to her ‘cousin Bartholomew Hesketh’ (although we need to be aware that the term ‘cousin’ was then used to indicate a wider range of relationships than is so today)].

James and Katherine’s children were William (probably born by c. 1543); Edward (fl. at Prescot, 1596); Anne (fl. 1596, perhaps married Ric Haile at Ormskirk on 27 February 1597/8); Grace (married Thomas Greaves on 5 October 1591 at Ormskirk); and Elizabeth (perhaps married Ather Barton at Ormskirk on 30 November 1591 or Wm Ashcroft on 19 October 1598).

Jas Ashemell received 20s in the will of Richard Halsall of Halsall in 1563: 18 Halsall was a first cousin of Katharine Aspinwall’s cousin Bartholomew Hesketh. Jamys and Hughe Aspinwall both occur as billmen from the parish of Ormskirk in the muster roll of 1569. 19 James Aspinwale of Scarisbrick paid 6d in chief rent at Ormskirk in 1572.20

In 1583 James Aspinwall was witness to a seizin of the manor of Altcar and a moiety of Kirkby.21

Together with Mr Gilbert Halsall, Thomas Halsall and James Smyth, James was appointed a supervisor of the will of William Gerrarde of Ormskirk, who died in June 1585. James was an appraiser of the inventory of Gilbert Ormeshawe of Scarisbrick in August 1590.22

‘James Aspinwall of Aspinwall, gent.’ made his will on 19 May 1591.23 His estate was to be divided between his wife Kateren and his younger children Edward, Anne, Grace and Elizabeth. Certain items left him by his father William were to remain at his house for his son William: these were ‘one pare of bedstockes in the parler one bord in the lofte one bord in the kilne twoe bords in the halle with all the formes and benchs both in the halle and pler my best heaywayne my best ... wayne my beste pare of whales my beste ha.one my beste .aske my beste pare of treasle’. The executors were to be his wife and his son Edward and the witnesses were Bartholomew Hesketh, Gilbert Halsall and Henry ?Barton.

When James died application was immediately made by his widow Katherine and heir William for permission to bury James in the new ‘chappell and chancel’ ‘latelie erected’ in Ormskirk church by Edward Scarisbrick of Scarisbrick. This was granted: an agreement was signed on 21 May 1591 and the burial took place on the same day.24

An inventory was appraised on 29 May by Homfray Golborn, Henrye Maudisley, John Kidde and William Morecrofte: this amounted to £94 and included oxen, cows, bullocks, heifers, calves, horses and colts, sheep and lambs, hens, pigs, wheat, barley, oats, hemp and flax. The will was proved on 11 June 1591.

Katherine Aspinwall of Aspinwall, widow of James, made her will on 28 April 1596.25 Reciting an earlier gift of ‘a great parte’ of her goods to her son Edward Aspinwall and to her daughter Grace Greaves, she left the remainder to her daughter Anne Aspinwall, appointing her sole executrix. Katherine’s son William and cousin Bartholomew Hesketh were to be supervisors of the will. Katherine was buried at Ormskirk on 4 May 1596. An inventory was taken on 5 May by Omferay [surname omitted], William Coderay, Henry Garnett and Peter Barton: it totalled £4 11s 8d. Administration was granted on 25 June to Anne Aspinwall of Aspinwall, spinster and to Edward Aspinwall of Prescot, yeoman.26

WILLIAM AND KATHARINE ASPINWALL

James Aspinwall’s eldest son and heir (and grandfather of Susanna Latham) was William Aspinwall who perhaps married Katherine Barker on 10 September 1564 and was thus probably born by c. 1543. Alternatively William may have married a daughter of Henry Heaton of Knowsley, who in 1578 made his ‘son-in-law William Aspinwall’ superviser of his will. 27

William’s children seem to have been Elizabeth (baptized 10 June 1563, married Ellis Ambrose at Ormskirk, 29 August 1598); Edward (17 January 1567/8); Elin (18 September 1568);28 Peter (23 February 1571/2);29 Ursula (28 July 1573); Alis (18 January 1573/4); Thomas (10 April 1577); and Mary (5 April 1580, married James Horrocks by licence on 17 January 1614/5 at Deane).

William Aspenall,30 yeoman of Ormskirk was plaintiff in 1562 and 1571 in suits concerning the illegal occupation of a messuage and 14 acres at Okenhead in Scarisbrick, occupied by Humphrey Hill: he paid £40 for confirmation of his tenure.31 William granted Bartillshouse in Scarisbrick to James Gorsuch (except for a piece adjoining the highway to Snape) in 1578–9.32

In 1587 William Aspeinowle was one of the two ‘clerks of the kitchen’ to the earl of Derby at Lathom and at Knowsley: these were senior positions in the household33 and William’s fellow clerk (Michael Doughty) is known to have made land purchases from Lord Derby. 34 In the same year (as ‘Mr Clerke Aspinwall’) William was one of the will ‘followers’ for Henry Answorth of Huyton, yeoman. In July 1590 ‘Mr Wm Aspinwall’ was again ‘clerk to the kitchen’: It seems certain that William was related to ‘Hugh Aspinwall the elder’ of Bickerstaffe, whose will made on 21 September 1592 spoke of him as ‘My Lords Clarke of his ... kitchen’. William owed Hugh 10s- worth of goods, including ‘eight bords’ and an axle-tree: the value of these was to go to Ellis Ambrose (William’s brother-in-law) and Thomas Fidler.35

In 1591 the will of William Harrison of Aughton spoke of Hugh Aspinwall as his son-in-law and mentioned William Aspinwall: Harrison’s appraisers included one Thomas Aspinwall. In 1608 the will of Hugh Aspinwall, yeoman of Bickerstaffe spoke of his father as ‘one of the elect’.36

William Aspinwall bought lands at Roseacre, Fylde from Lord Derby in 1591.37 In May 1591 William was one of the signatories of the agreement to bury his father James in the new chancel at Ormskirk.38 He received ‘certain heirlooms’ in his father’s will.

In 1597 ‘Wm Aspenwall’ together with Peter and Thomas Aspenwall was witness to the seisin of a messuage in Toxteth Park to Edward Aspinwall.39

‘William Aspinall of Scarisbrick, gent.’ was a juror at the Ormskirk quarter sessions in April 1602; July 1602; May 1603; and April 1604.40

‘Catherin Asmall ux. Willm’ was buried at Ormskirk on 7 August 1602.41

Wm Aspinwall ‘of Aspinwall’ and ‘of Scarisbrick’ was an inquisition juror in 1605 and in 1605/6.42 He was probably the ‘Willm Aspinwall’ buried at Ormskirk on 20 March 1607/8.43

In 1595 one Isabel Aspinwall, widow was amongst recusants at Childwall44 and Isabella Asmalee of Wavertree was a recusant in 1600.45

[Edward Aspinwall from Ormskirk was living at Prescot in the 1590s, but we shall see that he was perhaps more likely to have been Edward’s uncle Edward, second son of his grandparents James and Katherine Aspinwall. Edward Aspinwall and Elizabeth Parker were married at Prescot on 19 April 1593. ‘Jane, daughter of Edward Aspinwall of Ormskirk’ was baptised at Prescot on 6 May 1593. ‘A child of Edward Aspinwall’ was buried in Prescot church in 1592–3 (churchwardens accounts).46 Gabriel, daughter of Edward Aspinwall was baptised in 1593/4; Dorothy in 1596; and Mary in 1600*. Finally ‘Jane, daughter of Edward Aspinwall of Prescot’ was buried there in 1597. Katherine Aspinwall in her will of 1596 spoke of having recently given a greater part of her goods to Grace Greaves (her daughter) and to Edward Aspinwall and her administration bond was granted later that year to Anne Aspinwall47 (her daughter) and to ‘Edward Aspinwall of Prescot, yeoman’: it is perhaps more likely that this Edward was Katherine’s son, rather than her grandson. *The 1658 Prescot court roll lists Mary, widow of William Darbishire and Edward Aspinwall, her brother]48

EDWARD ASPINWALL AND SUSANNA

Edward Aspinwall, according to his own declaration of age in 1612, was born c. 1567: it seems certain that he was the child of that name baptised at Ormskirk on 17 January 1567/8: he was doubtless born at Aspinwall, and his i.p.m. declared him to have been the eldest son and heir of William Aspinwall.49 A pedigree of Lathom of Whiston speaks of Edward Aspinwall (John Lathom’s father-in-law) as ‘first watchmaker in England’,50 but it seems likely that this is a mistaken identification for Edward’s brother Thomas, the earliest known watchmaker in Lancashire.51

Edward matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford on 23 April 1585.52 There was a bequest of 6s in gold to Edward Aspinwall in the will of William Foxe, gent. of Toxteth Park and Rhodes (comptroller of Lord Derby’s household) in 1586.53

Edward was married by c. 1594, probably to Susanna/Anne, who was named as his wife at her death in 1613/14.

Edward Aspinwall’s eldest son and heir Jerehiah was born c. 1594). Another son William54 followed and Jayne Aspinwall, daughter of Edward, baptized at Ormskirk on 14 June 1595 was probably his eldest daughter.

In November 1596 William, sixth earl of Derby (who had succeeded, debt-ridden, to his estates in 1594) commenced the sale of the whole of Toxteth Park and Smithdown Moss (which had been disparked by c. 1590). It was first conveyed55 to Edmund Smolte of Lathom and Edward Aspinwall of Scarisbrick, yeoman for £1,100.56 The memorandum of delivery of seisin shows Edwarde and Anne (?Susanna) Aspinwall amongst 20 tenants of Toxteth Park.57

When Edmund Smoulte made his will on 10 October 1597 he bequeathed £5 and enough timber to build a lodge to ‛William Aspinwall and Alis his wife’ and appointed Edward Aspinwall and Michael Doughtie as supervisors. Smoulte referred to ‛certain parcels’ at Burscough previously assigned to his wife and to Doughtie, Edward Aspinwall and Robert Smoulte.58

By 1600 Edward was still described as ‘of Scarisbrick’.59 ‘Edrus Aspinall de Skaresbrecke gs’ was a freeholder of West Derby Hundred in 1600.60 The family have been described as ‘gentry since 1600’.61

Edward moved to Toxteth Park by c. 1601. He was ‘the intimate friend of the sainted Mrs [Katherine] Brettargh’ of Brettargh, Little Woolton who died in that year. ‘He visited her during her sickness and wrote verses on her death’.62

A survey in May 1603/4 showed that there were no longer any woods or deer in Toxteth Park and that it had become largely arable. There were more than 20 houses and two water mills: Edward Aspinwall was one of the householders.63 Despite a claim that Aspinwall and Smolte ‘made grants to kinsmen and others’ after 1597,64 it seems likely that they had only been agents in a process, for the sale of Toxteth Park to Sir Richard Molyneux of Sefton was completed in 1604.65

Whether or not she was his first wife, Edward Aspinwall was obviously married to Susanna when ‘Susanna, daughter of Edward Aspinall’ was baptised at Childwall on 9 September 1604. Further children were baptised at Childwall: Abacue (Habbakuk) on 21 December 1606; Ellen on 17 April 1609; and Margaret on 5 May 1611.

The Toxteth Park community has been described as ‘dominated by extreme Protestants who paid their rent to a Catholic landlord; a community which organised its own religious worship, which instituted public support for elementary education, which played an important role in the scientific revolution of the seventeenth century’.66 Halley notes however that ‘their puritanism seems to have been of a milder type than that of the moorlands’.67 As an extra-parochial place it had obvious attractions for religious dissidents and as an area disparked only after 1590, it was in every sense ‘ripe for development’.68

The main entrance to today’s Sefton Park stands on the site of the old lodge of Toxteth Park.69

In October 1605 Edward Aspinall was sworn one of the high constables of West Derby hundred, in place of Thomas Woofall who had been disqualified because of his wife’s recusancy.70

Edward Aspinwall achieved an honoured place in the history of Lancashire Puritanism. Halley wrote: ‘another group of Puritans ... in and around Toxteth Park ... erected a chapel in which they could hear the doctrines of the Reformation preached in their purity ... They invited Richard Mather when a boy to teach their children, and, when only a youth, to teach themselves’. Of Edward Aspinwall he wrote that ‘by the influence of his holy conversation, his beautiful example, and his domestic piety ... Richard Mather was won over to the Puritan cause’. Mather’s later work in New England was linked by Halley to a ‘stream of good’ flowing from Edward Aspinwall’s ‘holy life’.71

Mather’s own journal told how at the age of 15 in 1611 he became a lodger in Edward Aspinwall’s household, when he arrived in Toxteth Park to teach at the school. ‘The means of his Conversion was partly by seeing a strange difference between himself and sundry in that godly Family, where Divine Providence had cast his Lot in Toxteth, viz. the Family of Mr Edward Aspinwall, who was a Learned and Religious Gentleman. Now he observed that the way and walking of that holy man, was such as himself had not as yet been accustomed unto, which caused sad fears to arise in his Soul ...’72

In 1612 Edward Aspinwall, gent of Toxteth Park (45) (who seems to have been acting as Lord Derby’s agent or commissioner), gave evidence in a case contesting the sale of Derby’s lands at Childwall, Roby and Whiston.73

Abacuk Aspinwall, no doubt Edward’s son, was buried at Childwall on 7 March 1612/13. Together with Thomas Aspinwall, William Foxe and William Horrocks, Edward was a ‛loving friend and neighbour’, will overseer and appraiser of the estate of Edward Smoult of Toxteth Park in 1613.74

The Horrocks connection

This association of Edward Aspinwall and William Horrocks is the first instance we have of the close links between Edward's family and that of Horrocks, who came to Toxteth from Horrocks Fold, at Rumworth in Deane. Edward's sister Mary was to marry James Horrocks in 1614/15 : they were to be the parents of the brilliant astronomer Jeremiah Horrocks (c. 1619-1641).

Death of Edward Aspinwall’s wife Susanna

‘Susanna, ux. Edw. Aspinwall, gen.’ was buried at Childwall on 26 January 1613/14. Also buried there that winter were Margaret, wife of Thomas Aspinwall on 28 December 1613; and Isabell Asmall on 17 February 1613/14.

Estreats for the manors of West Derby and Wavertree for the years 1613–1624 show land acquisitions there by Edward Aspinwall from 1614. In that year ‘Edward Asmoll, gen.’ leased 20 acres of Speake Field (at 12d an acre). In 1614–1615 (as ‘Edward Aspinwall, gent.’) he acquired Winstanley’s House and 9 acres.75

In c. 1615 Edward Aspinwall took a lease of Park Yate House, Toxteth Park, with 50 acres and a mill, formerly held successively under Lord Derby and Sir Richard Molyneux by Giles Brooke, alderman and merchant of Liverpool, who died in 1614. Edward was cited in 1619/20 by members of the Brooke family seeking to uphold their rights to this property: it was said that under Edward's tenancy it had been ‘much improved’.76

Jerehiah Aspinwall of Walton was granted a licence on 15 January 1614/15 to marry Mary Cowper of Halifax at Huyton or Childwall:77 Jereiah Aspinwall and Maria Couper were indeed married at Childwall on 29 January 1614/15. ‘Suzan.’, daughter of Jeregiah Aspinwall, Toxteth’ was baptised at Huyton on 25 December 1615; and ‘Edwarde, son of Mr Aspinwall, Toxteth’ on 14 June 1618.78

Eight days before the marriage of Jerehiah Aspinwall, a licence was granted for his sister Mary's union at Deane with James Horrocks: the bondsman was Peter Ambrose.

In 1615–1616 Edward acquired another 6 acres of Speake Field, together with Penketh’s Farm and 30 acres: 20 acres of Speake Field followed in 1617–1618. Finally in 1619–1620 ‘Jhirehie Aspinwall’ took Penketh’s Farm and 30 acres.79

[Richard Mather matriculated at Brasenose college, Oxford in 1618,80 but was called back to preach at Toxteth in November 1618: he was ordained deacon by Bishop Morton of Chester in March 1619].

In 1618 Edward was (with ‘Mr Mather, William Foxe and Thomas Aspinwall’) one of the ‘beloved friends’ and will trustees of William Horrocks of Toxteth Park: all four also appraised the inventory on 3 March.81 In 1618/19 the Wavertree court rolls record a mortgage granted by Edward Aspinwall of Toxteth Park, gent. to Richard Rose.82

On 20 June 1620 Edward (‘52’) and his brother Thomas (‘43’) gave evidence at Prescot in a case involving the sale of 50 tons of Spanish iron brought, with wine and cloth, by sea from France to Liverpool: there had been a break-in at the cellar where it was stored.83 Edward was appointed High Constable of West Derby hundred in 1620/1.84 In August 1622 he paid a fine in the palatinate court in a transaction with Smoullt85 and another in August 1625 in respect of property in Liverpool.86

Edward Aspinwall’s brother Thomas

Edward’s younger brother Thomas Aspinwall (1577–1624) became a renowned watchmaker at Toxteth Park, where he was already living when his daughter Elizabeth was baptised at Huyton in 1611. He seems to have been married first to Margaret/Mary Marsh of Halliwell by 1609 and then to a sister of James Horrocks (see above).

Thomas had properties at Toxteth and at Sharples Fold in Bolton. Before his death at Toxteth in 1624, he caused inventories of his goods at Sharples (made on 7 June by Roger Walkden, Christopher Horrockes and Peter and Roger Longworth) and Toxteth (12 June by William Fox, Henry Mossocke, John Walwarke and Robert Johnson and a ‘catalogue’ of his debts (28 June) to be attached to his will, which was to be executed by his brother-in-law James Horrocks and his ‘cousin’ [recte nephew] Jerehiah Aspinwall. The witnesses were Edward Aspinwall and Richard Mather (‘preacher of Toxteth Park and Prescot’).

Provision was made for Thomas' wife and for his eldest son Samuel and other children. Money was also left to the poor of Crosby and of ‘Birkbie’.87 Other family members mentioned in the inventory were Thomas's sister Elizabeth Ambrose; Elizabeth, wife of Peter Aspinwall; and children by his [first] wife Mary. Edward Aspinwall his brother was to be allowed a quarter of ‘the whole tacke of yeares in Rose Grounde’ for six of the last years ‘according to their bargain. £80.’ Thomas was no doubt buried at Childwall and the will was proved on 22 December 1624.88

Thomas’ son Samuel built up a thriving trade with London, where he owned premises: when he died in 1672 he left goods valued at £2258. It was almost certainly Thomas’ son Peter who emigrated to Massachusetts and was the progenitor of a distinguished American branch of the family. Born c. 161289 Peter was said to have come to Dorchester (a township in Boston, Massachusetts) c. 1630 and married Alice Sharp c. 1645. Peter then married one Morrill and thirdly in 1662 Remember Palfrey. He was constable of Dorchester in 1667 and died between 20 November and 9 December 1687.90

‘An enterprising descendant of Peter Aspinwall’ was Mr William H. Aspinwall who constructed a railway across the Panama isthmus in 1850–1855. As a consequence the town of Aspinwall (now Colon) ‘at the eastern terminus of the Panama canal’ was named after him.91

Richard Mather

[Richard Mather married in 1624 and moved to Much Woolton. He was ordained priest by Bishop Bridgeman in his private chapel on 9 March 1627.92 He attended the preaching lectures at Prescot and was suspended in August 1633, but restored again in November 1633. He was suspended again by Archbishop Neile’s visitors at Wigan in 1634 and set off from Warrington to Dorchester on 16 April 1635, sailing from Bristol to Boston on the James. Among others who moved from Toxteth to Dorchester at this time were Peter Aspinwall and one William Aspinwall of Manchester].93

In 1625 Edward and Jerehiah Aspinwall were witnesses of the will of Robert Marsh of Toxteth Park: Marsh left land at Deane and Atherton and appointed Alexander Horrocks, the puritan preacher of Deane as an executor. Horrocks was cousin to Edward’s brother-in-law James Horrocks.94 Administration was eventually committed to ‘Peter Aspinwall, elder brother of Thomas Aspinwall’, with Jirehijah Aspinwall and James Horrocks as bondsmen.

From 1625 to 1627 Edward Aspinwall, still tenant of Park Yate House, was once again the defendant in a complex continuation of the litigation of 1619–20, by which Gyles Brooke’s daughter and son-in-law made their claim to Park Yate House.95

All the inhabitants of Toxteth Park were cited in the bishop’s visitation of 1625 for having ‘a chapel built and not consecrated and wants churchwardens ...’96

Edward was presented in the Liverpool borough court in 1626 for watering hemp in a pit on Townes Common. In 1632 Edward’s son Jerehiah and brother-in-law James Horrocks were appointed executors of the will of Mrs Judith Ulster als Derby, which was to be proved in 1635.97

Edward Aspinwall died on 26 October 1633 at Toxteth Park and was interred in the chapel there. His i.p.m. was held on 27 January 1633/4 at Wigan and is the major source for information about Edward’s many land-holdings in Aspinwall, Hurleston, Scarisbrick, Ormskirk, Rossacre, Wesham and Liverpool.98

Edward held three messuages in Rossacre and Wesham worth 30s per annum (Duchy of Lancaster); [William and Alice] Mawerice House99 in Liverpool worth 2s per annum (The Crown); [Thomas] Lawrensons House and three cottages100 in Ormskirk worth 5s per annum and Morecroft’s Lower House in Scarisbrick and Burscough at 16s per annum (Lord Derby); Hales House in Scarisbrick at 10s per annum (Edward Scarisbrick); and the messuage and 16 acres in Scarisbrick at 16d (... Hurlestone, esq). All were divided and left between his sons Jerehiah and William and his brother Peter Aspinwall.

Jerehiah and Mary Aspinwall

Jerehiah Aspinwall inherited much of his father’s estate in 1633/4. He was mentioned in the will of his cousin William Ambrose in 1637 and was bailiff of Toxteth Park in 1638.101

Jerehiah became a prominent supporter of parliament during the civil wars and in 1644, together with his brother-in-law John Lathom of Whiston, he was one of those ‘freeholders, gentlemen and inhabitants’ of ‘the godly party’ in West Derby hundred petitioning for the [re-]appointment of the puritan and future regicide Colonel Moore as Governor of Liverpool.102

He was a commissioner for Lancashire under acts to raise money for the army between 1649– 1657;103 for the church and parochial surveys between 1649–1655;104 and under the ordinance for ejecting scandalous ministers in 1654.105 As a justice of the peace from 1653 he presided at civil marriages at Ormskirk between February 1653/4 and July 1656, the first of which was witnessed by ‘Mr William Aspinwall, minister’. Jerehiah presided at several Wigan marriages in 1655 (described in the parish register on 4 March as ‘old Justice Aspinwall’): he presided at a Croston marriage in May 1656. Jerehiah’s daughter Mary married Joshua Abram of Warrington at Ormskirk on 11 October 1658: their daughter Mary was baptised there on 20 September 1659.

‘Mr Jereiagh Aspinwall’ was buried in Ormskirk church on 24 April 1657: ‘Mary wife of Jirehiah Aspinwall, esquire’ was buried in the church on 29 October 1660.106

Jerehiah’s son Edward Aspinwall was born in 1618 and probably matriculated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge in 1635. He married Eleanor, sister and co-heir of Sir Gilbert Ireland of Hale. Edward became a member of the county committee for compounding by 1647.107 and was added to the militia commissioners for Lancashire on 27 September 1650. He had a house in Castle Street, Liverpool in 1651.108 On 5 April 1650 Edward Aspinwall took before Thomas Birch the oath necessary to serve as a commissioner for sequestrations and on 7 October 1651 he wrote from Warrington accepting appointment as a commissioner. His name occurs constantly in the proceedings of the county committee in the years immediately following.109 By 1653 he was ‘Lt Col Aspinwall of Toxteth Park’.110 Edward and Eleanor had at least six children, among whom were Gilbert, Edward, Eleanor and Mary. Eleanor and Mary were both baptised at Walton (23 January 1654 and 6 March 1655. Edward senior died on 29 March 1656 and was buried in Toxteth Chapel on 1 April. A stone in the main aisle covers the vault and on it a brass plate records his death.111

Edward’s will drawn up on 26 March 1656, was not proved until 1681, amid accusations of suppression. Edward appointed his father and his brother-in-law Gilbert Ireland as his executors and provided for his eldest son Gilbert and his five younger children and his cousin Samuel Aspinwall. Edward’s widow Eleanor subsequently married Thomas Crompton, clerk (one of the witnesses of Edward’s will).

Edward and Eleanor Aspinwall’s eldest son was Gilbert (c. 1647–1717). He was of the Inner Temple when he married Mary Bushel in 1672. The second son Edward was admitted to Grays Inn in 1666.112 Mary married Thomas Bramhall of Macclesfield, ‘doctor of physic’ at Liverpool in 1681 and Eleanor married John Crowther.

In 1698 Gilbert Aspinwall of Liverpool, esquire (formerly of Toxteth Park) and his son Edward Aspinwall ‘of Chancery Lane, gent.’ sold ‘the mansion house’ at Scarisbrick to Roger Hesketh.113

[In 1669 ‘Aspinall’ was one of those ‘said to be Speakers’ at the conventicles in the chapelries of Prescot parish, where ‘great companyes’ come.]114

[A son Peter was born in 1636 to William Aspinwall, curate of Maghull.115 Educated at Brasenose College, Oxford, Peter was curate of Formby from 1660 until his ejection in 1662. William Aspinwall, clerk was involved in a sale of land, including some at Aspinwall in 1667.116 He was preaching at Ashton in 1672 and in 1690 was licensed to preach in a former barn at Warrington. He died there in 1696 having laid ‘the foundation of a dissenting tradition in that town.]117

© T.M. Steel (last revised 17/05/10) Copy Documents L.R.O.. DDM 50/3* R. Halley, Lancashire: Its Puritanism and Nonconformity (Manchester, 1872), p. 135* H.O. Aspinall, ‘The Aspinwall & Aspinall Families of Lancs’, pp. 1—33, 138—145 (cont. from p. 92), & 372—376* P.H.W. Booth, ‘From medieval park to puritan republic’, Lancashire Local Studies, pp. 63 ff.* F.A. Bailey & T.C. Barker, The 17th Century Origins of Watchmaking in South-West Lancashire [nd], pp. 1-15)* ‘Jeremiah Horrocks’, pp. 26—29* C.E. Banks, Topographical Dictionary of English Emigrants (Baltimore,1963), pp. 86–9)* L.R.O., DDSc/19/13* (lic.) J.W. Clay (ed.), J. Hunter, ‘Familiae Minorum Gentium’, Harleian Society, (4 vols), 38 (London, 1895), p. 460* (ms. 198) E.A. Bowen, ‘The Aspinwall Family of Muddy River’, N.E.H.G.R., xlvii, 187 (Jul. 1893), pp. 342– 347;* & ‘Genealogical Gleanings in England’, 187, pp. 392--397* E.A. Bowen, ‘Some Aspinwall Wills’, N.E.H.G.R. (105) Apr. 1951, pp. 96–100)* R.J. Griffiths, ‛The Early Watchmakers of Toxteth Park’, Antiquarian Horology, 27 (2), Dec. 2002*

Other Notes

QDD/43/F17: Wm A of A to heir Jas, 1635 QSP/594/29: Wm A of Au, clockmaker, 1684 Toxteth Tithe: C.R.O., EDC 5/1601/12—15; /1602/27—29; /1603/71; 1604/68-69 See var. Horrocks wills 1615> 1 F.R.Raines (ed.), W. Dugdale, ‘Visitation of the County Palatine of Lancaster, 1664–5’, Chetham Society, Remains Historical & Literary connected with the Palatine Counties of Lancaster & Chester [hereafter C.S.], series 1, 85 (1872) 2 For christenings, marriages & burials [hereafter cmbs] Childwall to 1680: R. Dickenson (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish of Childwall, I, 1557–1680’, Lancashire Parish Register Society [hereafter L.P.R.S.], 106 (1967) 3 C.W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English & Welsh Surnames (London, 1901), p. 65; P.H. Reaney, A Dictionary of British Surnames (London, 1976), p.14. Bardsley inaccurately placed it in Aughton parish, perhaps because of an inquisition post mortem (1605) of ‛Wm Aspinwall of Aspinwall in Aughton’ 4 H.O. Aspinall, The Aspinwall & Aspinall Families of Lancashire (Exeter, 1923), p. 1 5 Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 2 6 Reproduced ibid., p. 16 7 Burke’s Heraldry 8 Reproduced ibid., pp. 6–7; for a pedigree: ibid., pp. 20–21 9 The National Archives [hereafter T.N.A.], PL 20/5/3–4 (palatinate, court of common pleas, writs, 4 Edwd IV, spring & autumn) 10 Lancashire Record Office [hereafter L.R.O.], DDSc/51/12 11 T.N.A., E 179/130/84 (lay subsidy assessment, W. Derby hun., 17 Henry VIII) (copy St Helens lib., M/J/8) 12 T.N.A., PL 20/31/1-6 [writs, common pleas, 1–3 Edwd VI]; Jas Aspinall occurs PL 20/30/5 [writs, common pleas, 38 Henry VIII, autumn] 13 Wm Aspinall was a W. Derby juror, autumn 36 Henry VIII (T.N.A., PL 45/29, palatinate, crown court recognizances, mainprise roll) 14 Geo. Aspinwall paid £7 chief rent (n.d.): Liverpool Record Office [hereafter Liv. R.O.], 920 PLU/Pt 37 (chief rent rolls, Aughton Hesketh estate) 15 But note Manchester Record Office [hereafter Man. R.O.], Farrer papers, L1/51 for 6 Eliz. Geo. Aspinall, suc. by his heir Jas, then 6 16 For ‘Jas Asmall, gent’: L1 [papers of Dr Wm Farrer]/50 [abstracts & transcripts of public records]/37 [pleadings]/6 [T.N.A., DL/?1/214 17 For cmbs Ormskirk to 1626: J. Arrowsmith (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Ormskirk, 1557– 1626’, L.P.R.S., 13 (1902); for cmbs Aughton to 1764: F. Taylor (ed.), ‘The Parish Registers of Aughton, 1541– 1764’, L.P.R.S., 81 (1942) 18 Will made 7 Aug., proved 14 Oct. For S. Lancs wills, inventories & administrations (Chester consistory) to 1858: L.R.O., WCW/[name]/[place]/[year] 19 T.N.A., SP 12/58 (state papers domestic, letters & papers, Aug.–Sept. 1569) 20 Liv. R.O., 920 PLU/Pt 37 21 L.R.O., DDM/17/97 22 Gerrard & Ormeshawe were bur. Ormskirk church 11 Jul. 1585 & 8 Aug. 1590 23 L.R.O., WCW/1591* 24 L.R.O., DDSc/19/13* (lic.) 25 L.R.O., WCW/1596* 26 For a very full inventory [hereafter inv.] from this place & period: L.R.O., WCW/Anne Aspinwall,wid./Scarisbrick/1604 27 Although none of his children seem to have been named Kath. or Henry 28 It was perhaps this Ellen who m. Isaac Midgeley 1609 & was mother of Saml Midgeley, the Liverpool watchmaker (F.A. Bailey & T.C. Barker, The 17th Century Origins of Watchmaking in South-West Lancashire [nd], p. 4)* 29 Peter is said by the New England Historical & Genealogical Register [hereafter N.E.H.G.R.] to have m. by 1620. He should not be confused with the Peter who settled at Dorchester, Massachusetts c. 1630. See: E.A. Bowen, ‘The Aspinwall Family of Muddy River’, N.E.H.G.R., xlvii, 187 (Jul. 1893), pp. 342–347;* ‘Some Aspinwall Wills’, N.E.H.G.R. (105) Apr. 1951, pp. 96–7)*. In 1625 administration [hereafter admon] of the goods of Rbt Marsh, Toxteth was granted to ‘Peter Aspinwall, elder brother of Thomas Aspinwall, with whom Jirehijah Aspinwall & Jas Horrocks are agreed to be bound’: L.R.O., WCW/Rbt Marsh/Toxteth Park 30 The signature of Wm Aspinwall is illustrated in Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 147 31 Man. R.O., L1/50/ 28 [Lancs refs, palatinate of Lancaster/1 [feet of fines, I Eliz., 1-4 (T.N.A., PL 17/21--24)]; Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, pp. 8–9 (citing Scarisbrick deeds, 192); L.R.O., DDSc/43a/192 32 Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 9 (citing Scarisbrick deeds, 195) 33 F.R. Raines (ed.), ‘The Derby Household Books (Stanley Papers, II)’, C.S. (1853), pp. 23, 37, 84. For Wm’s signature in the Household Books: Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 222 34 Doughty was secretary to Henry, Lord Derby (Raines, ‘Derby Household’, p. 106) & MP for Preston & later for Liverpool 35 L.R.O., WCW, quoted by Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 222 36 Will made Jul. 1607, proved 13 Oct. 1608. There were refs to dau-in-law Elline & her s. Thurstan; grandchildren Humph. & Jane Aspinwall; ss-in-law Rbt Tarleton & Henry Blundell; inv. appraised Peter Aspinwall, et al. 37 Still in the hands of his descendants 1698 (L.R.O., DDK/895/56) 38 n. 14 39 L.R.O., DDM 50/4; see also feoffment, Edwd Aspinwall, Scarisbrick to Smoult, Oct. 1597: L.R.O., DDM 50/5 40 J. Tait (ed.), ‘Lancashire Quarter Sessions Records’, C.S., 77, new series (1917), pp. 142, 151, 168, 214 41 See however a will of Wm Aspinwall (noted in L.R.O., WC/1A) made 25 Mar. 1598 to his natural s. Edwd Aspinwall, with admon granted 25 Apr. to Jn Aspinwall. 42 J.P. Rylands (ed.), ‘Lancashire Inquisitions, Stuart Period, I’, Record Society of Lancashire & Cheshire [hereafter R.S.L.C.], 3 (1880), pp. 33, 40 43 Rather than one of those bur. in church 1593 (‘late clarke’) or 3 Dec. 1596 44 C. Talbot, ‘A Book of recusants, 1582 (Cecil Papers, 238/1) in Miscellaneous Recusant Records’, Catholic Record Society, 53 (1961), p. 85 45 T.N.A., E 377/10 (pipe office, recusant roll, 43 Eliz. 1) 46 F.A. Bailey (ed.), ‘The churchwardens accounts of Prescot, Lancashire, 1521–1607’, R.S.L.C., 104 (1953), p. 119 47 Note the will of Ann Aspinwall, wid. Scarisbrick, proved by her s. Peter Aspinwall 1604 (L.R.O., WC/1a (act book) 48 L.R.O., Crs (1658) 49 Reproduced in Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, pp. 10–13 50 J.W. Clay (ed.), J. Hunter, ‘Familiae Minorum Gentium’, Harleian Society, (4 vols), 38 (London, 1895), p. 460* (ms. 198) 51 Two watches by Thos Aspinwall, one dated 1607, may be seen at Prescot museum 52 J. Foster, Alumni Oxoniensis (Oxford, 1891), I, p. 37 53 Will made 7 Dec. 15[..], proved [….] 1586 (badly damaged) 54 It has been suggested that this was the Wm Aspinwall, watchmaker who occurs in the Manchester parish registers 1628 (Bailey & Barker, Origins of Watchmaking, p. 4). It further seems possible that this was the Wm who arrived at Massachusetts Bay on the ‘Arabella’ with his w. Eliz. & dau. Mary 17 Jun. 1630 & was an important figure at Boston, becoming recorder of deeds 1650. Wm & Eliz. had 3 ss & 3 daus, of whom Hannah m. 1651 Jn Angier, later vicar of Deane. Wm returned to England after 1652 & was probably fl. Chester 13 Apr. 1662: see A Volume relating to the Early History of Boston, containing the Aspinwall Notarial Records (Boston, 1903) & A.A. Aspinwall, The Aspinwall Genealogy 55 Through Wm Foxe, their attorney (b. c. 1573): according to his deposition [hereafter dep.] of 17 Jas I (T.N.A., DL 4/69/45, Tarleton v. Worsley & Aspinwall, Toxteth), Foxe was Lord Derby’s comptroller 56 L.R.O., DDM/50/3* (letter of attorney, Smolte & Aspinwall to Foxe, 6 Nov. & seisin, 26 Nov. 1596) 57 For a map of Toxteth Park: R. Muir, A History of Liverpool (Liverpool, 1907), p. 112 58 Will proved 22 Feb. 1597/8 59 L.R.O., DDM/50/6 (feoffment for £1100, Derby to Smolte & Aspinwall, 10 Nov. 1596) 60 J.P. Earwaker (ed.), ‘A list of freeholders in Lancashire, 1600’, R.S.L.C., Miscellanea, I, 12 (1885), p. 240 61 B.G. Blackwood, ‘Lancashire gentry & the great rebellion, 1640–1660’, C.S., 25 (1978), p. 98 62 R. Halley, Lancashire: Its Puritanism and Nonconformity (Manchester, 1872), p. 135* 63 T.N.A., DL 44/671* (duchy, special commissions & returns, survey of the park, 2 Jas I) 64 W. Farrer & J. Brownbill (eds), Victoria History of the County of Lancaster (London, 1907) [hereafter V.C.H.], III, p. 42 65 L.R.O., DDM 7—15. Smolte & Aspinwall ‘made certain arrangements with the tenants & farmers of the park, on whose behalf & their own they had purchased it’: V.C.H., III, p. 42 66 P.H.W. Booth, ‘From medieval park to puritan republic’, Lancashire Local Studies, p. 63, n. 33 67 Lancashire Nonconformity, p. 135 68 Booth, ‘Puritan republic’, pp. 63 ff.* 69 V.C.H., III, p. 41 70 ‘Quarter Sessions Records’, C.S., 77, p. 281 71 Mather was b. Lowton 1596 (son of Thos & Margarite) & educated Winwick School 72 I. Mather, The Life & Death of … Mr Richard Mather (Cambridge, Mass., 1670), p. 5; for Aspinwall’s holiness see also Cotton Mather’s ‘Life of Richd Mather’ in History of New England, III, chapter 20 73 T.N.A., C 21/F28/1 (court of chancery, country deps, series 1, Fytton v. Derby) 74 Will 24 Mar. 1612, proved 8 Apr. 1613 75 T.N.A., DL 30/477/1 76 T.N.A., DL 4/69/45 (duchy, court of duchy chamber, deps, Tarleton v. Worsley & Aspinwall, Toxteth): it was noted that Ellen, wid. of Gyles Brooke had d. 1½ years after him & their son Jn 2 weeks later. Edwd Aspinwall had taken the lease from Gyles Brooke’s executor 77 Wm Winstanley was bondsman; unusually lic. addressed by name to ‘Wm Harrison, preacher at Huyton or Edmund Hopwood, vicar of Childwall’ 78 For cmbs Huyton to 1727: F.A. Bailey (ed.), ‘The Parish Register of Huyton, 1578–1727’, L.P.R.S., 85 (1946) 79 T.N.A., DL 30/477/1 (estreats, W. Derby & Wavertree, 10 Jas I--1 Chas I) 80 Foster, Alumni, I, p. 987 81 The Horrocks family, closely allied with the Aspinwalls, came from Horrocks Fold, near Rumworth, in Dean parish, N.W. of Bolton 82 Liv. R.O., 920 SAL/1/127 83 T.N.A., C 21/B54/6 (country deps, Bath v. Boyse) 84 Booth, Puritan Republic, p. 81, quoting B.W. Quintrell (ed.), ‘Proceedings of the Lancashire Justices of the Peace at the Sheriff’’s Table …, 1578–1694’, R.S.L.C., 121 (1981), p. 79; Aspinwall, Aspinwall Families, p. 10, quoting E. Axon, ‘Manchester Quarter Sessions, Notes of Proceedings, I, 1616–1622/3’, R.S.L.C., 42 (1901), p. 142 85 Indexed in T.N.A., PL16/9 (palatinate, court of common pleas, docket rolls of fines, recoveries & pleadings) 86 T.N.A., PL 15/334 (palatinate, common pleas, plea roll)(indexed in PL 16/10, docket rolls)); see also writ, PL 20/88 [autumn 1 Chas I, Aug. 1625], Liv., Edwd Aspinwall 87 Will undated & unsigned; inv. included £165-worth of ‘watch worke & watch stuff’ in the work loft 88 No parish register for this period survives 89 According to a dep. 1664: A.A. Aspinall, The Aspinwall Genealogy, 1630–1901 (Boston, Mass., 1901) [Boston Public Library, 4431.165] 90 Will & inv; Aspinall, Aspinwall Genealogy 91Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 377; see also Appleton, Cyclopaedia of American Biography; Chambers’ Journal, Jan. 1913 92 Cheshire Record Office [hereafter C.R.O.], ?EDA3/2 93 Bowen ‘Aspinwall family’, N.E.H.G.R., (1893); N.E.H.G.R., 47/342, 42/312–3, 1/95, 35/72, ‘Banks Mss’., ‘Leyden Arch’., ‘Pope’, J. Savage, A Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers in New England (all cited in C.E. Banks, Topographical Dictionary of English Emigrants (Baltimore,1963), pp. 88–9)* 94 The Horrocks family house (known as Lower Lodge) stood on the site later occupied by Otterspool station: J. Stonehouse, The Streets of Liverpool (Liverpool, 1869), p. 169. 95 T.N.A., DL 4/75/32 & /76/23 (duchy chamber, pleadings, deps & examinations, series 2, deps, Watkins v. Aspinwall, Park Gate house, Toxteth, 1 & 2 Chas I) 96 C.R.O., EDV/1/26, f. 122 97 G. Chandler, Liverpool under Charles I (Liverpool, 1965), pp. 123, 182–183 98 T.N.A., DL (vol. 28, no. 1); Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, pp. 10–13 99 ‛1 burg, 1 garden & 1 land’: Aspinall, p. 11 100 ‛3 cottages, 3 gardens, 3 orchards & 1 acre, lately Smelt’s’ 101 L.R.O., DDM/1/55 (accounts, 1638) 102 Liv. R.O., 920 MOO/340; G. Chandler, Liverpool under Charles I (Liverpool, 1965), pp. 182–183 103 Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 14 (quoting Firth & Rait, Acts & Ordinances of the Interregnum) 104 H. Fishwick, ‘Lancashire & Cheshire Church Surveys, 1649–1655, I, Parochial Surveys’, R.S.L.C., 1 (1879), passim 105 Aspinall, Aspinwall Families, p. 14 106 For cmbs Ormskirk 1626–1678: T. Williams (ed.), ‘The Registers of the Parish Church of Ormskirk, II, 1626–1678’, L.P.R.S., 98 (1960) 107 J.H. Stanning (ed.), ‘Royalist Composition Papers, I (A--B)’, R.S.L.C., 24 (1891), p. 236: see also Stanning, ‘I’, pp. 66, 223; ‘II (C--F)’, 26 (1892), pp. 52, 351; ‘IV (I--O)’, 36 (1898), pp. 1, 12 & passim; & J. Brownbill (ed.), ‘Royalist Composition Papers, VI, i (S--We)’, 95 (1941) & ‘VI, ii (We—Y)’, 96 (1942), both passim 108 M. Power (ed.), ‘Liverpool Town Books, 1649–1671’, R.S.L.C., 136 (1998), p. 32 109 Brownbill, ‘Composition Papers, VI, i’, p. 31; see also Stanning (ed.), ‘I’—‘IV’, 24, 26, 29, 36 (1891, 1892, 1896, 1898) & Brownbill, ‘V’, ‘VI, i & ii’, 72, 95 & 96 (1917, 1941 & 1942) 110 Aspinwall, Aspinwall Families, p. 17 111 Aspinwall, Aspinwall Families, p. 17 112 ‘Second son of Edward Aspinwall, late of Toxteth Park, esq., deceased’: J. Foster (ed.), Register of Admissions to Grays Inn, 1521–1889 (1889), p. 301 113 L.R.O., DDSc/26/64 114 C.R.O., EDV/1/36 (ts. in The Cheshire Sheaf, 3rd series, 58, p. 12) 115 H.M. Luft, History of Merchant Taylors’ School, Crosby (Liverpool, 1970), p. 72 116 T.N.A., PL/5/386 (m. 5) 117 N. Carrick, St Peter’s Church, Formby: A History (Formby, 1998) p. 15